FEMA Administrator Urges Hurricane Helena Victims to Take Action Due to Risk of Losing Temporary Housing
Families in western North Carolina were left homeless after Hurricane Helene hit the Appalachian Mountain region last year received devastating news earlier this month — their temporary FEMA housing assistance could soon end, leaving them with nowhere to turn as temperatures drop below freezing.
The agency began notifying some families who checked into hotel or motel rooms that they were no longer eligible for the Transitional Shelter Assistance Program because one of the following reasons: an inspection found their home to be habitable, they refused an inspection, or FEMA was unable contact them to update your housing needs.
The deadline, originally Friday, is now January 14. FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell says those who receive notification and still need housing are still eligible, but must contact the agency.
“There are a number of reasons why someone could have received that notification,” Criswell explained Sunday.
Some families in North Carolina fear they could lose their temporary housing after being displaced by Hurricane Helena. (Peter Zay/Anadolu via Getty Images (left) & Win McNamee/Getty Images (right))
“What we do is we call everybody. We call them every two weeks to check on where they are, what their status is and if their home can be moved back in, but one of the biggest things is when we call them, if we don’t hear from them, the only thing we can do is to do is to assume that they have returned to their home. One of the things I want to be sure of, if someone received that notice, but they did not t talked to someone at FEMA and their situation is still in need, they still have the right. We just need them to get in touch with us so we can talk to them. Everyone will have a unique circumstance. Everyone will have a unique situation,” she added.
“We have to work with all of them individually to make sure we’re providing them with the right resources so they can stay in a safe place until their home is rebuilt or they can be accessed.”
North Carolinians who still need help can contact 1-800-621-FEMA or visit a disaster recovery center to speak with someone face-to-face.
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A couple, Victoria (L) and Jeff, remain on the street with their dog with a sign reading “I need help, I lost everything in the flood,” after Hurricane Helene destroyed their mobile home about a month ago, in Asheville, North Carolina, October 29 ., 2024. (Photo by YASUYOSHI CHIBA/AFP via Getty Images)
Already burdened by the post-Helena crisis, FEMA must now also address the needs of families displaced by the Southern California wildfires, which continue to burn after causing billions of dollars in damage.
Criswell said Fox News’ Shannon Bream to which California residents in need should apply disasterassistance.gov and contact their personal insurance company to see what they will cover.
“But more importantly, [what they will] they don’t cover so they can qualify for different programs within our system,” she added.
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Fox News’ Audrey Conklin and Brooke Singman contributed to this report.
